Unit History: Forward Ammunition Depot
Air Ammunition Parks were renamed Forward Ammunition Depots in 1941 .They became central depots with a number of nearby satellite sites, Advanced Ammunition Parks, to further increase holding capacity. Staple Halt became an Advanced Ammunition Park.When the USAAF arrived new Forward Ammunition Supply depots were built for its needs at Braybrooke, Bures, Melchbourne Park, and Sharnbrook. Where it was rational the USAAF was given sub-sites at existing depots as well.
The two wartime Forward Ammunition Depots were markedly different from the pre-war designs, reliant on concealment by woodland (South Witham was actually within Morkery Woods) rather than toughness, the munitions were held within standard Nissen huts dispersed to increase safety, with transport on standard nine-foot metalled roads. Each had a stated capacity of 8,400 tons of bombs, 840 tons of incendiaries, and 40,000 square feet (3,700 m2) for small arms ammunition.
The supply of ammunition was soon changes, with supplies moving directly from the factories to the Forward Ammunition Depots, cutting the underground stores out of the system and relegating them to stores for obsolete stock and chemical weapons, holding points for very large cargoes, and repair centres.
The two wartime Forward Ammunition Depots were markedly different from the pre-war designs, reliant on concealment by woodland (South Witham was actually within Morkery Woods) rather than toughness, the munitions were held within standard Nissen huts dispersed to increase safety, with transport on standard nine-foot metalled roads. Each had a stated capacity of 8,400 tons of bombs, 840 tons of incendiaries, and 40,000 square feet (3,700 m2) for small arms ammunition.
The supply of ammunition was soon changes, with supplies moving directly from the factories to the Forward Ammunition Depots, cutting the underground stores out of the system and relegating them to stores for obsolete stock and chemical weapons, holding points for very large cargoes, and repair centres.
